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387th Tactical Fighter Squadron
The 387th Tactical Fighter Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 312th Tactical Fighter Wing, based at Cannon Air Force Base. New Mexico. It was inactivated on February 18, 1959. History Established in early 1942 as a light bomb squadron, equipped with A-24 Banshees, although equipped with export model A-31 Vengeance dive bombers for training. Trained under Third Air Force in the southeast United States, also used for antisubmarine patrols over the Atlantic southeast coast and then Gulf of Mexico. Deployed to Southern California in early 1943 to the Desert Warfare Center, trained in light bombing while supporting Army maneuvers in the Mojave Desert until October. Re-equipped with North American A-36 Apache dive bombers and deployed to New Guinea as part of Fifth Air Force. In the Southwest Pacific the squadron attacked Japanese strong points and tactical positions and targets of opportunity in support of MacArthur's campaign along the north coast of New Guinea; then advancing into the Netherlands East Indies and Philippines as part of the Island Hopping campaign. Re-equipped with P-40s; then later A-20 Havocs. Engaged in heavy fighting on Lete; Mindoro and Luzon in the Philippines during 1944-1945. The squadron moved to Okinawa in mid-August and after the Atomic Bomb missions had been flown; remained on Okinawa until December until returning to the United States with most personnel demobilizing. It was inactivated as a paper unit on January 6, 1946. The squadron was reactivated as a B-29 Superfortress unit in the reserves in 1947, but lack of funding and personnel led to rapid inactivation. Transferred to Tactical Air Command in the mid-1950s and activated first with F-68 Sabres, then F-100 Super Sabres in 1958. Inactivated in 1959 when its parent 312th TFW was inactivated and re-designated as the 27th TFW. Personnel and equipment of the squadron were re-designated as the 523d Tactical Fighter Squadron. Lineage * Constituted 387th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on January 28, 1942 : Activated on March 15, 1942 : Redesignated: 387th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on July 27, 1942 : Redesignated: 387th Bombardment Squadron (Light) on December 6, 1943 : Redesignated: 387th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on July 19, 1945 : Inactivated on December 18, 1945 * Redesignated: 387th Bombardment Squadron (Very Heavy) on July 14, 1947 : Activated in the reserve on July 30, 1947 : Inactivated on June 27, 1949 * Redesignated: 387th Fighter-Bomber Squadron on July 29, 1954 : Activated on October 1, 1954 : Redesignated: 387th Tactical Fighter Squadron on July 1, 1958 : Inactivated on February 18, 1959. Assignments * 312th Bombardment Group, March 15, 1942 – December 18, 1945 * Tenth Air Force, July 30, 1947 * 312th Bombardment Group, August 13, 1947 – June 27, 1949 * 312th Fighter-Bomber Group, October 1954 * 312th Fighter-Bomber (later Tactical Fighter) Wing, October 8, 1957 – February 18, 1959. Stations * Bowman Field, Kentucky, March 15, 1942 * Will Rogers Airport, Oklahoma, June 12, 1942 * Hunter Field, Georgia, August 18, 1942 * DeRidder Army Airbase, Louisiana, February 18, 1943 * Rice Army Airfield, California, April 13, 1943 * Salinas Army Air Base, California, August 13 – October 24, 1943 * Jackson Airfield (7 Mile Drome), Port Moresby, New Guinea, December 1, 1943 * Gusap Airfield, New Guinea, c. December 25, 1943 * Nadzab Airfield Complex, New Guinea, June 10, 1944 * Hollandia Airfield Complex, Netherlands East Indies, July 10, 1944 * Tanauan Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, November 19, 1944 * McGuire Field, San Jose, Mindoro, Philippines Commonwealth, January 25, 1945 * Mangaldan Airfield, Luzon, Philippines Commonwealth, c. February 10, 1945 * Floridablanca Airfield (Basa Air Base), Luzon, Philippines Commonwealth, April 16, 1945 * Yontan Airfield, Okinawa, C. August 12 – December 13, 1945 * Vancouver, Washington, January 3–6, 1946 * Ellington Field, Texas, July 1947 – June 27, 1949 * Clovis (Later Cannon) AFB, New Mexico, October 1, 1954 – February 18, 1959 Aircraft * A-31 Vengeance, 1942–1943 * A-24 Banshee, 1942–1943 * North American A-36, 1943 * P-40 Warhawk, 1943–1944 * A-20 Havoc, 1944–1945 * F-86 Sabre, 1955–1956 * F-100 Super Sabre, 1956–1959. References * Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4. Category:Military units and formations established in 1942 Category:Military units and formations of the United States in World War II